This quote, made famous by WWII General, George S. Patton, captures the idea behind CU: R.O.A.R.

What is CU: R.O.A.R.?

It’s the Cornerstone Credit Union League’s initiative for grassroots and PAC support that stands for Ready, Organize, Activate, and Respond. Simply put, it is an advocacy program that connects credit union advocates with lawmakers.

While we often boast of "millions of credit union members ready to respond" the reality is that unless we can back it up with real grassroots action, our efforts ring hollow. It is for this reason that we urge you to join CU: R.O.A.R.

Be “Ready” by staying informed on political issues affecting credit unions.

Get “Organized” by identifying credit union staff, volunteers and members who are willing to become politically active.

“Activate” when alerted by your League to take action on a critical legislative or regulatory issue, and contact those individuals you identified in the “organize” stage.

How does my credit union sign up for CU: R.O.A.R.?

The credit union CEO should complete the CU: R.O.A.R. enrollment form. This will add your credit union to the “ROAR” list, and help us better understand the types of advocacy activities that you are willing to engage in.

Once your credit union is signed up, ask any staff, volunteers or members who are interested in becoming more involved in advocacy to also complete the enrollment form. These folks will serve as your “Advocacy Team” for responding to calls to action or participating in local legislative meetings.

What do I need to do in order to be considered a CU: R.O.A.R. credit union?

Start an advocacy team. Identify volunteers and staff who are interested in becoming involved in advocacy. There isn't a miniumum requirement; the goal is to make it work for your credit union.

Sign up for Payroll Deduction. Back your PAC. For as little as $1 per week you can make a difference in the credit union movement.

Run Project Zip Code (PZC). PZC matches credit union members to their state and federal legislative districts demonstrating the grassroots strength of credit unions.

Why should my credit union do this?

We all know credit unions are highly regulated by both the state and federal government. That means changes in laws and regulations can have a big impact on operations, the bottom-line and, most importantly, our ability to serve our members.

So, if you want to have a say in your own affairs, and don’t want to let others (banks?) control your fate, it only makes sense to become politically engaged.

How much extra work is involved?

Not much at all. In fact, it’s really up to you. We realize you’re already busy running a credit union. All we’re asking you to do is agree to “get involved” when we alert you to important issues affecting credit unions.

You always have final decision on which issues you’ll work on and how much effort you’ll put into it. Depending on your time and resources, it might mean you’ll send an email to a lawmaker or visit them at their local office. Or, you might encourage your staff and volunteers to write letters to a regulator on a potentially harmful proposal. Or, you may even join fellow credit union leaders for meetings with lawmakers in Washington, DC. It’s all up to you.